UMHB Football Places 19 on All-Conference Team, Jackson, Smith and Jenkins Take Superlatives

Belton, Texas – Nineteen University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team claimed a total of 21 spots on the American Southwest Conference All-Conference teams released today.

Author:
KCEN

Published:
9:16 PM CST November 17, 2016

Updated:
9:16 PM CST November 17, 2016

Belton, Texas – Nineteen University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team claimed a total of 21 spots on the American Southwest Conference All-Conference teams released today. Blake Jackson, Teidrick Smith and Broderick Jenkins also earned individual superlatives in balloting of conference head coaches.

Jackson, a senior quarterback from Dobie High School in Houston, was named ASC Offensive Player of the Year and also earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team. Jackson has thrown for 2,302 yards and 29 touchdowns on the season and has 479 yards and six more scores on the ground. Jackson becomes just the second UMHB player to win ASC Offensive Player of the Year honors, joining Cody Fredenburg in 2003.

Smith, a senior defensive end from Hallettsville High School, earned ASC Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors and was named to the All-Conference First Team. Smith wins that honor for the third straight season and becomes the first player in ASC history to win that honor three times. Smith has 18 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, 42 total tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery despite being limited by injury early in the season. This is the 13th time a UMHB player has been named ASC Defensive Player of the Year and Smith shares the award with Hardin-Simmons linebacker Cory Ward.

Jenkins, a senior offensive guard from Frisco Centennial High School, was voted ASC Offensive Lineman of the Year and was also named to the All-Conference First Team. Jenkins has helped clear the way for a UMHB offense that leads the country in scoring and averages 264 rushing yards per game. He is the eighth UMHB player to earn Offensive Lineman of the Year honors.

Jackson and Jenkins are joined on the All-Conference First Team Offense by offensive tackle Connolly Fuller, running back Markeith Miller and placekicker John Mowery. Fuller, a senior from Berkner High School, joined Jenkins in clearing the way for UMHB’s high-powered offense. Miller, a sophomore from Garland High School, leads the ASC with 1,028 yards and he has 14 rushing touchdowns while averaging 10.0 yards per carry on the season. Mowery, a junior from Leander High School, is 74-74 on extra points and has hit 7-13 field goals for 95 points this year.

Smith is joined on the All-Conference First Team Defense by Haston Adams, Ajay Fanene, Matt Cody, Keith Reineke and Baylor Mullins. Adams, a junior defensive tackle from Beckville High School, has 37 total tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss. He has also returned two fumbles for touchdowns. Fanene, a junior defensive end from La Sierra High School in Riverside, California, has 7.0 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks on the year. Cody, a senior middle linebacker from Clear Springs High School, has 50 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss and two interceptions despite missing two games with injury. Reineke, a senior outside linebacker from McGregor High School, leads the Cru with 76 total tackles and has 5.5 tackles for loss. Mullins, a senior safety from Merkel High School, has a team-high four interceptions to go with 62 tackles.

The Cru had five Second Team All-Conference selections. Mullins was named to the Second Team at punter after averaging 35.8 yards per boot and putting 15 of his 27 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. Brazos Fuller, a junior defensive tackle from Alvarado High School, has 39 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss. Safety Hunter Schmidt, a senior from Waller High School, has 28 tackles, two interceptions and a team-best seven pass break-ups. Tight end Carson Embry, a junior from Boerne High School, has 12 catches for 190 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Duane Thompson, a junior from Woodson High School in Washington, D.C., 591 yards and six touchdowns rushing and also has three touchdown catches.

Wykeyhe Walker, Bryce Wilkerson, Corbin Campitelli and Reggie Wilson all earned Honorable Mention All-Conference honors. Walker, a senior wide receiver from San Antonio Cole High School, has 28 catches for 427 yards and six touchdowns. Wilkerson, a junior from Tyler Lee High School, earned All-Conference honors at wide receiver and kick returner. He has 36 receptions for 420 yards and six touchdowns. He is averaging 14.5 yards per punt return and 24.7 yards per kickoff return and has three total returns for touchdowns. Campitelli, a junior offensive guard from Parish Episcopal High School, is also a key cog in the offensive line. Wilson, a junior cornerback from Dobie High School, has 44 tackles, an interception and a blocked punt return for a touchdown this season.

This is the third All-Conference honor for Cody, Jenkins, Mullins, Smith and Thompson. Adams, Walker and Wilkerson are two-time All-Conference selections and this is the first All-Conference honor for the other Cru selections.

Sul Ross State defensive end Zack Roberson was named Defensive Lineman of the Year. Hardin-Simmons wide receiver and kick returner Alex Bell was voted Special Teams Player of the Year. Hardin-Simmons offensive lineman Jonathan Castaneda was selected Freshman of the Year and Sul Ross State head coach John Pearce was named Coach of the Year after leading the Lobos to a 6-4 record and third-place in the ASC this season.

The Cru finished the regular season with a 10-0 overall record and won a 12th straight ASC championship with a 6-0 league mark. UMHB will advance to the NCAA Division III National Championships for the 13th straight season and host University of Redlands in the First Round this Saturday. That game will kick off at 12:00 PM at Crusader Stadium.